building products digest

TIPS & TRENDS IN MOUDING & TRIM � CYPRESS � GREENING YOUR OPERATIONS

AUGUST 2012

INDUSTRY NEWS & MONEY-MAKING STRATEGIES FOR LUMBER & BUILDING MATERIAL DEALERS & DISTRIBUTORS

BPD BuildingProducts Digest

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44 � Building Products Digest � August 2012 Building-Products.com

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Special Features8 MARGIN BUILDERS

CREATE NEW REVENUE STREAMS IN

YOUR MOULDING DEPARTMENT

10 FEATURE STORYSYNTHETIC MILLWORK ON THE RISE

12 MARGIN BUILDERSSTRUCTURAL FRAME SOFTWARE

HELPS YOU & YOUR BUILDERS

15 MANAGEMENT TIPSGREENING YOUR WAREHOUSE

16 PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTSKYLIGHTS AND WINDOWS

18 COMPETITIVE INTELLIENCECENTURY-OLD DEALER GOES GREEN

40 INDUSTRY TRENDSCYPRESS WEBSITE REVAMPED

In Every Issue6 TOTALLY RANDOM

20 OLSEN ON SALES

22 GREEN RETAILING

24 MASTERING LEADERSHIP

26 MOVERS & SHAKERS

30 FAMILY BUSINESS

34 KAHLE ON SALES

36 NEW PRODUCTS

42 ASSOCIATION UPDATE

43 IN MEMORIAM

44 CLASSIFIED MARKETPLACE

45 DATE BOOK

46 IDEA FILE

46 ADVERTISERS INDEX

August 2012 �� Volume 31 �� Number 6

BPD BuildingProducts Digest

Making your mark

IT DOES NOT MATTER who you are or what you do, whether in your private life orbusiness life, impressions matter. It can be near impossible to undo a bad firstimpression. We all know that, but I wonder how often something goes wrong and bythe time we realize it, it’s too late and we can only sit wondering what happened.Hopefully, most of my first impressions with people are generally positive, but

there are times I wonder why did I do that, why did I say that, or how could I get it sowrong? And that’s after 35 years of executive experience!The reality is that we have but a few seconds to make an impression count. When

we speak with someone new, how we look, sound and act are immediately scruti-nized, and opinions are formed and decisions are made. A good impression puts youin good standing to achieve your goal. A bad one closes just about any deal—but,unfortunately, against you. And, sadly, most of the time, we don’t even know why.There have been times when someone made a good impression with me on the

phone, but when I invited them for a face-to-face, I knew immediately that they werenot right and then had to spend an hour going through the ritual of pretending. Thereality is that I have rarely had someone change my mind. And, the fact is that I amno different than most of us.Many of us solidify our impression of someone in the first 30 seconds. Come up

to me with a simple smile and the intent of being there for a purpose, and that startsthings off right. Looking like you have been on a bender or wearing your casualclothes when we are all in jackets, or vice versa, does not bode well for the future.Find out what is appropriate from others (or even the receptionist) ahead of time.Tripping over your tongue with your first words, arriving late, or not calling someonewhen you promised adds to the bad impression. Having all of these traits correctexcept one can still turn good into bad. The problem is that every individual acts dif-ferently. For example, one of my main issues is tardiness without a really good rea-son. I cannot stand being late myself and I expect the same of others. The trouble isno one would know that about me, so again how do you know if you have made abad impression?Some might try to be someone they are not, especially in an interview situation,

but the best is to be yourself. Even if you fool someone the first time, you will befound out. For myself, I know who I am, what I am good at, what I am not, and if Iam not right for something, so be it. I am confident in myself, and if I am not rightfor someone, I take the view that it is best I find that out first and not after wastingtons of time.I hope I am good at putting people at ease. As someone who never holds anything

back, I am an open book (possibly one of my faults, too). Projecting a positive atti-tude that is rational without overdoing it goes a long way in giving confidence tothose around you.I find that in the last 10 years, manners have gone by the board. I can say for

myself that is something that I watch and observe closely. Being attentive, courteousand polite go a long way in my book. Texting, calling onyour cell, looking around the room, looking bored, andbeing distracted do not make a good impression. Look me in the eyes and tell me the truth; do not waf-

fle around being afraid to give me bad news. Say “no” tome instead of having me make four calls and send fiveemails. Let me know where I stand. Maybe there is achance to put something right, but unless you tell me,I most likely will never know. Listen to whatsomeone has to say, do not tune out, and payheed to the signs that you have switched themoff.Impressions do count, more than we

know. A mistake of a few seconds maywell last a lifetime!


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BPDBuilding Products Digest

TOTALLY RandomBy Alan Oakes

Alan Oakes, [email protected]

Endeck—where beauty and strength come together. Isn’t that what customers are really looking for—a gorgeous deck that can endure the punishment of time? Endeck capped cellular PVC decking is slip-resistant, impervious to stains and scratches, plus it stands up to the daily torture from pets, kids, and guests who drag heavy deck furniture from one end to the other.

Endeck is covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty and comes in six colors—three monochromatic and three variegated—with fascia to match or contrast. You’ll need railing, of course—and Enrail® is the perfect complement to Endeck.

See both products at www.endeck.com

thick skin. strong core. any environment.

Hard capstock shell protects your deckboard on all 4 sides. 100% Cellular core with no voids adds strength.


EXPERTS WILL TELL you that one ofthe most underutilized elements

in design today is architecturalmoulding. The exclusion of this ele-ment can become a lost businessopportunity.Here are five ways that you can

offer your customers some differentand beautiful choices as well asimprove your bottom line.

1. Become an expert in moulding.Improve your understanding of the

classical styles and their complemen-tary profiles. Books, such as Tradi-

many chapters of the AmericanSociety of Interior Designers or theInstitute of Classical Architecture andArt. Consult your vendors and local

custom mills, to understand the differ-ences in quality and authenticity. Askquestions. Focus on the quality, avail-ability and commitment to traditionaldesign. Be sure to ask about consis-tency of product so you don’t findyourself with profiles that may not beapplied seamlessly.Request free catalogs that offer not

only products but also education.As your reputation as an architec-

tural moulding expert grows, so willyour revenues. Become the source forclassical mouldings in your area.

2. Educate your customersAfter you feel confident in your

knowledge, educate your clients. Arethey aware of the variety of styles andprofiles? Do they understand thelingo? They won’t buy what theydon’t understand. They may be over-whelmed by all of the styles and pro-files, and not want to take the time toexplore these design options. Theymay have the perception that usingmoulding is prohibitively expensive.Make it a point to start conversa-

tions about moulding as a potentialdesign option. Create a library of casestudies and featured products so youcan show them what can be done andwhat to expect. Use catalogs thatgroup styles by time periods so clientscan get an idea of the different effects

Create new revenuestreams in yourmoulding department

MARGIN BuildersBy Ryan Mulkeen, Kuiken Brothers Co.

HIGH-STYLE architectural mouldings can generate high margins for dealers.

tional American Rooms: CelebratingStyle, Craftsmanship & HistoricWoodwork (by Brent Hull andChristine Franck), Historic Millwork:A Guide to Restoring and Re-creatingDoors, Windows & Moldings of theLate Nineteenth through Mid-Twentieth Centuries (Brent Hull), andTheory of Mouldings: ClassicalAmerica Series in Art & Architecture(C. Howard Walker) are excellentsources of information.Investigate local resources. There

are lectures, workshops and informa-tion-gathering events sponsored by

Building-Products.com August 2012 � Building Products Digest � 99

MILLWORK EXPERTS can up-sell to custom moulding packages.

they can achieve. Remind them thatmouldings can create a feeling ofmore space and also character in aroom or house.If they choose to use mouldings,

you may increase your revenuesthrough product markups or by offer-ing them one of the packages men-tioned below.

3. Update and enhance your pro-ject portfolioThink about the projects you’ve

supplied that showcase mouldings.Group them in a special section inyour portfolio so you can displaythem easily. This section can help youestablish or further your position as anexpert. If you haven’t documented these

projects, return to the site and photo-graph all of the profiles and profilecombinations. Include a written narra-tive or bullet points to remind youhow you achieve a certain look orfeel. You may even want to separatethe moulding projects into differentstyle categories. You have the opportunity to create

excitement and enthusiasm for adesign element your customers maynot have ever considered. Be ready totout your knowledge of this specialtyfield. Be ready to talk about price andeasy access to the products.

4. Create a basic moulding packagedealThink about the elements you can

group together and offer as a basicpackage. The package may include aninstaller’s services and a keen design

eye, as well as the benefits you bringto your customers as a result of yourrelationships with quality mouldingproducers. Be ready to offer solutionsto meet your customers’ varying bud-gets. Use this package as a way tointroduce them to a new world ofdesign elements.

5. Create a custom moulding pack-age dealUp-sell the basic package to a cus-

tom package in which you createunique design combinations especial-ly for the customer. Use free, onlinecomputer-aided design (CAD) files to

showcase what can be done with a lit-tle creativity. Customers will see whathappens with a simple click of themouse. By using CAD, they becomeinvested in the creative process, andyou zero in on exactly what he or sheenvisions. And, the more you become an

expert in this field, the higher a pre-mium you can charge.– Ryan Mulkeen is director of market-

ing for Kuiken Brothers Co., MidlandPark, N.J. Contact him at [email protected].

FEATURE StoryBy Rick Kapres, Versatex Trimboard

Synthetics rising inexterior millwork

WHEN IT COMES to exterior trimand millwork, how much do

homeowners care about “authentic” or“natural” products? According to theresidential builders we queried at thisyear’s International Builders Show,what’s most important is getting theright look and eliminating as muchmaintenance as possible.Even in high-end houses and his-

torical renovation projects, mainte-nance concerns are starting to out-weigh insistence on “authentic” mate-rials. Or, as one builder put it,“Nobody likes to do maintenance.” Another of the builders agreed:

“With traditional materials, there’s atraditional solution: maintenance. Sowhen traditional pine rots or finger-joint glue doesn’t hold, the answersall involve more labor and more mate-rials.”While everyone expressed respect

for historical accuracy and aesthetics,most said they often urge their clientsto consider modern, manufacturedsubstitutes. A common rule of thumb:If it fits the look and feel of thehouse—and will require less mainte-nance—go with the substitute.“For exterior trim, five or 10 years

ago there was quite a bit of resis-tance,” said one builder. “But now,when I show customers how theiroriginal trim has rotted out, they wantto go with something like PVC. Oncethey learn that it’s an option, peopleoverall are trending toward not want-ing to spend time or money on main-tenance.”Coincidentally, regions where tra-

dition runs deep—such as New

PVC TRIM products were used to enhance the architectural style of the home, yet require little main-tenance. (Photos by Versatex Trimboard)


CUSTOM PROFILES were created for door and window surrounds, railings, and panels that canwithstand a full range of weather conditions.

England and the South—have cli-mates that reinforce the argument forsynthetic components and materials,the builders said. Brutal winters in thenorth and hot, humid summers in thesouth take their toll on features suchas exterior trim. “High-end clients start out really

wanting traditional materials becausethat’s what they see themselves pay-ing for,” said another builder.“Unfortunately, we’re in theNortheast, right on the water. There’sa four or five month window whenit’s the greatest place in the world tolive. But then you come here in

January and it’s brutal.”Builders also noted that the case

for low-maintenance substitutes hasgained support in recent years.Today’s homeowners tend to do muchmore research than earlier genera-tions, and so many of them bring tothe project some awareness of materi-al properties.“Luckily, most of our clients are

being educated by their architects,”said one builder. “Eventually, theysee that we can get a historical effectwith materials like PVC trim andbring the level of maintenance a lotcloser to zero.”Manmade materials have also

become more convincing, as well asmore reliable. “I’m not recommend-ing synthetic materials everywhere,”admitted one builder, “but I have totell my clients that some of the oldmaterials just aren’t working any-more. And some of them never did.”– Rick Kapres is vice president of sales

at Versatex Trimboard, Aliquippa, Pa. Adivision of Wolfpac Technologies, thecompany manufactures cellular PVCextrusion products such as trimboards,sheet, bead board, mouldings, andcolumns. Contact him at (724) 857-1111or [email protected].

• Mouldings matched to customer drawing or wood sample• One-time only runs or repeat runs• Flooring or paneling patterns• Many stock profiles to choose from• High quality finish• Priming available

800-848-8338P.O. Box 646 • Durham, Connecticut 06422Fax 860-349-1784www.leonardlumber.com

Delivery to: CT, RI, MA, Long Island andEastern NY State, Southern VT, Southern NH.

Custom-Designed or Stock

MouldingsToday’s building projects – residential or commercial – requireprecision-run, high-quality mouldings. With our modernmill, large kiln-dried inventory of hardwoods andsoftwoods, Leonard Lumber Company can runstock or custom patterns – coves, crowns, chairrails, bases, flats or any other design needed.When you need mouldings, call us. We have theright shape.


ZIG ZIGLAR, MASTER salesperson and motivational speak-er, says: “You can get everything in life you want if

you will just help enough other people get what they want.” For service businesses such as building material supply

and component fabrication, this certainly rings true. Ourfinancial success comes from helping builders get what theywant: homes and buildings constructed better, faster andwith less waste. The greatest way we can do this, arguably,is by providing services and expertise they don’t necessarilyhave in house, rather than just by supplying them with prod-ucts.One way Annandale Millwork Allied Systems does this

is by offering builders design and fabrication services forstructural framing, which dealers all know is one of themost labor and material intensive parts of home construc-tion.We use a suite of integrated software tools to design and

fabricate structural frame components that we pre-cut andlabel for ready installation at the home site. If you’re inter-ested in expanding your yard’s offerings via such tools, readon. In this article I’ll provide an overview of some of theavailable software and the benefits that can be achieved. I’llalso provide some tips on getting started.

MARGIN BuildersBy Steven Stewart, Annandale Millwork Allied Systems

Pass it alongUsing structural frame software to help buiders be more successful


For us, using software technology is a continuation of aspirit of innovation started by our founder, WilliamFrogale, 60 years ago. He was the first LBM professionalin the Washington, D.C., metro area to develop and distrib-ute pre-hung door units. By providing an easier way tobuild homes, and helping improve quality, save time, andreduce costs, he became a valued partner to builder cus-tomers. Today, the same types of benefits are possible withstructural frames.

Framing SoftwareStructural frame product manufacturers have developed

a host of software tools. As with anything, capabilitiesvary.We evaluated a number of packages and selected

Weyerhaeuser software as the best for our business. TheirNextPhase Site Solutions include multiple programs fordesign, specification, and fabrication. For example, Fortesoftware provides a fast and simple way to size joists,beams and columns. We use Javelin software for designingand specifying home structural frame members top to bot-tom. Stellar software then converts the design data intoinstructions for our computer-controlled saw.With these tools we’re able to offer builders precision

end trimmed (PET) frame members to within 1/16” toler-ances, pre-cut holes in joists for mechanical systems, andmembers with intersection marks. Each JobPack is deliv-ered to the job site with a set of color-coded sheets corre-sponding to the pre-cut floor framing system. Builders canthus reduce cycle time, improve site safety, and minimizetheft because fewer materials are left on site during downtimes.

Business BenefitsAs it has become increasingly difficult for builders to

earn a profit, dealers that provide them with ways to buildbetter, faster, and with less waste have a clear competitiveadvantage.For example, with PET framing, builders save time by

not needing to cut numerous individual pieces to size. Plus,the frame members all fit together precisely, which helpsreduce framing errors and costly callbacks. Pre-cut framingalso reduces waste and associated disposal fees.Many framers really like PET because it saves them

time and money from cutting materials on site, helpsreduce their liability since they’re not running saws on thejob, and lowers waste and associated disposal fees. Pre-cutframing materials also provide dealers a way to helpbuilders meet new code requirements more easily. Forexample, as more jurisdictions adopt energy efficiencycodes that require HVAC ducts to be located within condi-tioned spaces, this often means in practice that the mechan-icals must run through the floor system.There seems to be a lot of confusion about the new

energy code requirements. The solution we provide is tothe builder and their trades (specifically the mechanicalcompany). Once they show us how their system isdesigned, we can collaborate with them to make sure theholes are in acceptable locations, precut them, and providethe framers and mechanical installers with tools thatimprove the assembly and installation of the structural andmechanical systems.Our customers have been really impressed with the

NextPhase system. The range of structural frame materialsand services we offer—powered by software—was key to

us retaining the business of D.R. Horton in Maryland.Another customer, Advantage Homes, is a smaller builderthat wants to be on the forefront of new technologies. Forsuch builders, our software offerings provide them animproved way to build that they in turn can highlight withtheir homebuyers.In addition to providing direct benefits to builder cus-

tomers, today’s structural frame software also can helpdealers and fabricators enhance their own operations,including processing materials faster and managing inven-

STRUCTURAL FRAME products manufacturers have developed soft-ware tools that help dealers improve service to builders. Pictured arescreenshots from Weyerhaeuser’s Forte and Javelin software programs.

(All photos by Weyerhaeuser)


tory better—both of which help control costs.For example, the various software programs we use

allow us to produce pre-cut framing packages much fasterthan is possible by hand. Just-in time ordering is a criticalpart of our business service to builders, and Javelin designsoftware and Stellar fabrication software really help withthis. We pride ourselves on fast turn-around—only twoweeks from when a builder walks in with a rough sketch ofthe floor system until we deliver the JobPack of joists andother materials. This includes design of the floor and pro-duction of all the components. As a lean manufacturer,software helps us decrease production costs while improv-ing quality.Fabrication software also helps us better keep track of

inventory and manage drops. We can now account forevery cut, and use leftover pieces for blocking, etc., tooptimize materials use and help eliminate costly scrap. Thesoftware is substantially more accurate even than ourpoint-of-sale inventory tracking system, and helps us beaccurate to within 1% to 2% every week.

Getting StartedStructural frame manufacturers can help you launch a

range of design and fabrication software and services. Inour case, Weyerhaeuser really helped us get off the groundand trained us to be self-supporting after the launch, and

they’ve been responsive to get our saw back up and run-ning as quickly as possible, if any issues arise.• When it comes to picking a software provider, here are

some key questions to ask:• What are the specific programs you offer?• What measurable benefits have other dealers achieved

using these tools?• What training do you offer in software and fabrication

operations?• What do you do to help fabrication crews solve prob-

lems themselves without having to rely on you?• What support do you offer to help get framers on

board with using PET framing materials?• What types of marketing support do you offer?

Additionally, it’s very helpful to visit other dealersusing structural frame software to see how their operationswork. This can provide great insights on what’s possibleand on how to set up your own operations. As Ziglar says,“It’s not what you’ve got, it’s what you use that makes adifference.”– Steven Stewart is the design manager for Annandale

Millwork Allied Systems, Winchester, Va. Incorporated in 1952,the company manufactures components systems and trim pack-ages for builders in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.Contact him via www.amcasc.com.

SOFTWARE for design and fabrication enables dealers to pre-cut holesin joists, saving builders' time on the jobsite.

FLOOR JOISTS that are pre-cut and labeled reduce labor and decreasematerial waste.


IN TODAY’S BUSINESS climate, havingan environmentally friendly ware-house not only lowers energy costs—it also wins respect from customerswho care about green building. Since heating, cooling, and light-

ing are the largest energy uses forwarehouses, first look for savings inthese three areas. Even relatively inexpensive

upgrades can make a big difference:new weatherstripping for doors andwindows, window caulking, newinsulation for roof-wall intersections,and sealing all penetrations throughthe building shell. Each of these mea-sures prevent outside air from gettinginto the building and conditioned air(air that costs money to heat or cool)from escaping.Strategically placed windows and

skylights provide natural light year-round, reducing the need for electrici-ty. Skylights and clerestory windowsthat open provide natural ventilationby allowing hot air to escape duringwarmer weather. Lighting controls such dimmers

and occupancy sensors save energy,as do fluorescent bulbs that turn onimmediately without needing to warmup. Outdoors, install photo-sensorsand motion detectors to automaticallycontrol lights. Don’t forget routinemaintenance: clean and replace bulbson a fixed schedule. Verify that wall and roof insulation

meets guidelines for your climatezone and operating conditions. If not,add insulation when renovating the

interior or the roof—when incremen-tal costs will be lower. Next, remove unused equipment

from the roof, cap off the openings,and add insulation. For long-termenergy savings, reduce unneededpaving and plant shade trees so thewarehouse will be cooler in summer.To improve HVAC efficiency,

change filters as needed and install adesiccant wheel to remove moisturefrom incoming air—an activity thatconsumes 30% to 50% of all air con-ditioning energy. Use radiant spaceheaters in smaller spaces—such asloading docks and offices—and turnoff heating and cooling completely

How to greenyour warehouse

MANAGEMENT TipsBring Energy Efficiency to the Warehouse

when it’s not needed or spaces are notoccupied. When it’s time to buy a new fork-

lift, consider electric vehicles. Dieseland propane-fueled lifts require extraventilation, which adds to the HVACload. Just remember to recharge elec-tric-vehicle batteries during off-peakhours, when costs are lower.Finally, make recycling a daily

habit in the warehouse—and through-out your business. Provide convenientbins for recycling of packaging mate-rials and encourage their use. Thegoal is to save money and reducewaste, while making the warehouse ahealthier place to work.


DAYLIGHTING—using energy-effi-cient windows and skylights to

increase occupant comfort and reducereliance on artificial lighting—hasbecome an important component ofgreen building design.

In fact, the use of skylights inremodeling and replacement projectsincreased 2% last year and is expectedto increase 6% this year, according toa recent study by the American Archi-tectural Manufacturers Associationand the Window & Door Manufactur-ers Association. In contrast, demandfor windows has decreased, as housingactivity remains stagnant.

Potential energy savings are onereason that sales of skylights areexpected to increase. The U.S. Depart-ment of Energy’s Federal EnergyManagement Program found that opti-mal use of daylighting in commercial

buildings can decrease energy costs upto a third. Although achievable sav-ings in residential construction havenot yet been quantified, they should besizable as well.

“We take advantage of the energyprovided by daylight and include it inour energy budget,” says green builderMatt Belcher, who owns VerdatekSolutions, Wildwood, Mo., and chairsthe green building sub-committee atthe National Alliance of HomeBuilders. “The percentage of daylightprovided by skylights is significantlyhigher than that provided by verticalwindows.”

Belcher is also project manager forActive House USA, which is beingconstructed in Webster Groves, a sub-urb of St. Louis, Mo. This 2,600-sq. ft.home incorporates green buildingstandards developed by the ActiveHouse Alliance, which was foundedtwo years ago in Denmark.

“These homes take an innovative

Green movementenergizes skylight sales

PRODUCT SpotlightSkylights

ACTIVE HOUSE USA, Webster Groves, Mo., will include nine skylights and two sun tunnels, toreduce reliance on artificial lighting and increase occupant comfort. (Photo by Active House USA)

SUN TUNNELS bring light to areas that win-dows can’t reach. (Photo provided by Ameri-can Architectural Manufacturers Association)

approach to energy efficiency, indoorair quality, and interaction with thesurrounding environment,” saysMikkel Skott Olsen, chairman ofActive House Alliance, who traveledfrom Denmark to attend the ground-breaking ceremony in Missouri. “Theyemphasize a holistic approach to sus-tainability and community-conscioushome construction.”

To achieve these aims, AllianceHouse USA will have nine skylightsand two sun tunnels. Also known assolar tubes, these fixtures funnel lightfrom a roof-mounted unit to a ceiling-mounted fixture via a tube. Perhapsmost importantly, sun tunnels bringnatural light to places that other sky-lights—and windows—can’t reach.

“Besides the energy-saving bene-fits, the amount of sunlight willincrease the comfort of occupants,”says Belcher. “The primary aim is toimprove the performance and the com-fort of the home.”


“PICTURE THIS!” directs AugieVenezio, president of Fairfax

Lumber & Hardware in California’sMarin County. He says that a lot—but then, he’s

clearly a man of vision. For starters,he proceeds to paint the scene ofFairfax, a town of 7,500—“fairlyaffluent, very anti-change, and anti-chains: no Starbucks, no Shell gas sta-tion.” And, more to the point, no roomfor new housing. “If you’re in a hurry,you don’t wanna be here,” he advises(unless you’re pedaling downhill; it’salso the mountain bike capitol of theworld, he adds.).Yet Augie himself has been here

for over 35 years, experiencing theoperation’s evolution into an employ-ee-owned business when, severaldecades back, its five partners wantedout. One of the very first ESOP yards

“Picture this!”

COMPETITIVE IntelligenceBy Carla Waldemar

FAIRFAX LUMBER president Augie Venezio has tried to capitalize on the greening of California.

in the country, the concept motivatedits then-staff of 30 (today 39) to worktogether to achieve profitability, abenefit to be shared by all.And that meant moving forward

with ideas just taking shape on ourindustry’s horizons. Maybe—talkwent, some years back—it was time todabble in the newly emerging greenmovement they’d read about in maga-zines and heard about at trade shows.Why not? “Let’s try it!” the staff-own-ers agreed.“So we put out feelers with manu-

facturers, vendors and customers,starting with simple things like win-dows that open and siting buildings totake advantage of natural light. Thenwe started in with the garden depart-ment,” Augie recalls: things like com-bating weeds, bugs and fungal prob-lems with non-toxic products that

would allow your kids and pets to playin the grass. “It took off like gang-busters!” he proclaims, “so we decid-ed, ‘Okay, let’s try paint.’” Low- or no-VOC paint, sealants

and adhesives also proved an easy sell.“Picture this!” he asks again. “A preg-nant woman comes in looking forpaint for the nursery. ‘Traditional ornon-toxic?’ we ask her.” Well, what’sa mother gonna say? Next, Fairfax expanded its green

offering to include energy- and water-saving items. Finally, it was time totake the plunge and opt for “green”lumber, too. After hours—weeks—ofvigorous debate, the crew decided togo for FSC certification. Winning homeowners over was

easy (okay, this is granola land), butwhat about builders, notoriously resis-tant to change? Fairfax simply decidedthose guys didn’t have to. No force-feeding. The yard simply continued tooffer its traditional products as well,so there was always a choice, not amandate. “We didn’t lose anybuilders,” Augie can boast.“The year 2006 was the first year

everything was in place,” he says—coincidentally, the same year the StateLegislature enacted Bill 32—landmarklegislation to control greenhouse gasemission. The state also enacted anew, green-friendly building code—“the first in the nation,” Augie states.Manna from Sacramento. “So, here

we’re all going, ‘Holy (smokes)!We’re in the right place at the righttime,’” fully positioned to take thelead. But, who knew? “We’re a hundred-

year-old yard, so we had to get themessage out that we had changed,”Augie underscores. Fairfax hired adesign firm to create a new logo andwebsite—and that’s all it took.


DESPITE THE BUSINESS being a century old, the employee-owners quickly embraced Fairfax’s eco-conversion.

“With that website, we picked up business all over thecountry. People Googled key ‘green’ words on the Internetand found us. All of a sudden, our customer base grewfrom Marin County to all over the place.” And with thenew business came new awards, including recognitionfrom the state in 2008 acknowledging Fairfax’s efforts tointroduce building science to the building trades.“We encouraged homeowners to start with the low-

hanging fruit, like household cleaners without chlorine andenergy-saving light bulbs. Then, we might mention indoorair quality. ‘Picture this!’ I’d say. ‘The air in the rooms youspend time in all day is worse than a day in L.A. smog.What’s more important to you than your family’s health?’If they held back because of cost, I’d remind them of themedical bills involved with asthma or emphysema. Wedidn’t dictate. Just simple actions like that….“To entice customers, we started using a lot more

advertising to get the word out, both print and electronic.We also began offering homeowners one or two demos amonth, leading off with gardening: edible landscaping,composting, food preserving.” Business just kept on build-ing.To sustain growth, however, requires staying ahead of

the curve, the folks at Fairfax fully recognized: “Whatnext, what next?” they pondered. “By 2009, we had all ourproducts in line, so we had to think further”—look not sim-ply to cherry-pick a new green line, but to think much big-ger and beyond: a whole new concept.The idea they came up with was… recycling. People

were invited to donate discarded stuff from their remodel-ing projects to a collection called The Away Station, whichwas opened behind the showroom. Successful? “It broughtin customers we’d never seen before,” Augie crows. “And,picture this! If someone found an old door with lead painton it, we’d suggest a non-toxic paint remover. It brought’em through the store. It went against our industry’s busi-ness model at the time, but soon it became commonplace.

And, within the next decade,” he adds, “zero waste will bethe law in California. Plus”—an all-important plus—“itpositions us as a leader. We’ll be top of mind.”Examining the green horizon once again, Fairfax has

partnered with the Community Land Trust of Marin(CLAM) on a housing project for farm laborers, intendedto demonstrate that green building is not just for the OnePercent. The company remodeled an existing house andbuilt a second one, using Passive House technology. The technique has been a big player in Europe since the

1970s, Augie reports—but here, not so much. The idea isto utilize a near-airtight shell in tandem with a filtered ven-tilation system to create a living environment that’s com-fortable 24/7 for 365 days a year, without—get this!—afurnace or air conditioning. These homes use less than20% of the energy employed in a standard new home, saysAugie—a savings in cash and ecology. “It makes economicsense for low-income housing,” he’s quick to demonstrate.Is it taking off? Well, not so much. Not yet. In these

dire economic times, people haven’t the wherewithall tomove forward with this scope of remodeling project. Butthat will change, Augie is convinced. “Picture this!Seventy-two percent of California’shomes were built before 1978—that’s13 million older homes! The state isstarting to offer tax credits and gov-ernment financing for retrofitting,so this is a huge opportunity. And,”he stresses, “We’re ready! We’reahead of the curve. It’s more funfor us to be a winner than to beplaying catch-up. So it’s greatfor our staff, too.”Picture that.

Carla [email protected]


Waking customers out of their “Giveme the price and I’ll let you know”reverie is good for us. Even if wedon’t get the order this time, wehave sent the message that weexpect to get the business next time. This point is critical. Especially

in ongoing B-to-B selling, how wedevelop the relationship is moreimportant than the order we get ordon’t get today.

The Right-Angle CloseAnother way to turn a conversation and close is to use

the “right-angle close.” The right-angle close can be usedwhether the customer agrees with us or not. It’s surprisinghow often a customer will say something positive about ourproposal and how little we use it!Here are three ways to deliver the right-angle close:• “And that’s exactly why you should by this.”• “John, you’re making my argument for me.”• “Exactly, Susan, so we do agree.”

Assumptive SellingActing, in everything we say and do, as if we already

have the order is the highest level of courageous closing. Many struggling salespeople sound as if they are one of

many vying/whining for the business of the all-powerfulP.O. holder. Assumptive sellers’ voices are calm and confi-dent. There is respect without servitude or nervousness.Practice this.Most salespeople shamble into a business with body lan-

guage that screams I am an intruder, and they get treatedlike one. Assumptive sellers enter a potential customer’sbusiness as if they were an old college roommate.Shoulders back, relaxed smile, conversational—“How areyou today? Is the boss around?” They ask for theowner/buyer with a calm confidencethat has the help leading them to thedecision-maker immediately.Our attitudes, good or bad,

infect/affect our customers. If weare tentative and uncomfortableour customer will be also.When we are courageously,comfortably and assumptivelybold, our customers will becomfortable also and will fol-low our lead.

OLSEN On SalesBy James Olsen

James OlsenReality Sales Training

(503) [email protected]

MOST SALESPEOPLE DO NOT ASKfor the order. Even fewer

close courageously. We must bebrave. Selling is not for the faint ofheart or spirit.To become master closers, we

must embrace the idea of changingsomeone’s mind. Our prospectivecustomer may:• want to shop our offer• not understand/appreciate our

proposal• want to give the order to someone else• want to think it over(None of the above are ever mentioned before the sales-

person does their work—weird, huh?)Many salespeople accept the above as “part of the sales

gig” and never try to close unless the customer says, “I’llbuy it,” which isn’t closing at all.If we are standing in front of (or on the phone with) a

customer, we are probably in the right place. We are notselling something that the person doesn’t want or use. Inmost cases they have asked us to supply it to them! Howcan we “hard close” someone who has taken our call andbuys what we are selling? (And probably is trying tocounter our price, to boot!)More often the case is that the customer “hard shoos

away” the salesperson after getting the necessary informa-tion. These are our moments of truth as salespeople.

Stand Up For YourselfBeing charming and attentive is important for salespeo-

ple. Being able to stand up for ourselves is also importantfor our emotional, psychological and financial well-being.I’m not talking about blowing up accounts. Some deserve it(and it feels good at the time), but giving customers “apiece of our mind” is bad business in the short and longterm.Using humor is one way to change how a call is going:• “Ouch!”• “You sound like my wife/husband.”• “Do you always act like this before you give out P.O.

numbers?”

That Doesn’t Work for MeBeing clear with customers when they are trying to

make us a quotron is a must for the master closer. We com-municate our position with phrases like:• “We don’t really do it that way.”• “The way we normally take it from here is…”• “What my clients really like in this situation is to…”• Or stronger, “That doesn’t work for me.” These kinds of phrases may cool the conversation. The

customer in many cases will be taken aback—good.

Courageous closing


FOR MANY WORKING in the sustainability movement, onebook—Small Is Beautiful: Economics as If People

Mattered—provided the spark that inspired their careers. Turns out, economics isn’t a dismal science after all,

and it’s too important to be left to self-important politiciansor obfuscating policy wonks. Instead, this book argues thateconomics can provide a potent framework for buildinghealthy and sustainable communities. The book is still rele-vant 40 years after its first publication, and its author, E.F.Schumacher, is revered among academics and profession-als working in a range of fields from development econom-ics to green building. Why? It shows that decentralized,community-centric economic development policyimproves sustainability and builds local resilience. Sustainability and local resilience are two issues of

supreme importance to the home and shelter supply chain:the former, because that’s what’s driving growth, competi-tiveness, and innovation; the latter, because the long-termhealth of our industry is directly related to the health of ourlocal and regional economies. But while our industry creeps toward sustainability, it’s

heavily reliant on centralized supply chains and interna-tional-scale corporations. Scale and centralization havebenefited consumers with lower prices, due mostly to off-shore manufacturing. But too much of a good thing is,well, not a good thing. Many argue that high energy costsassociated with a globalized supply chain make it inherent-ly unsustainable. But the point I want to address is that italso leaves local economies vulnerable, evident today inhigh unemployment, diminished construction activity, andincreasing closures of independent dealers. For independents to remain competitive they need,

among other things, access to capital. Given the current

GREEN RetailingBy Jay Tompt

credit crunch (and, by the way, a highly centralized bank-ing system is also problematic), smaller dealers and distrib-utors have little opportunity to invest in new innovations ortake advantage of growth opportunities when they arise.I’ve often argued that creating strong links with one’s sur-rounding community is the key success factor for indepen-dents. Now, there’s one more reason why that’s the caseand it could prove to be a game changer: crowdfunding.Crowdfunding is one of a growing number of alterna-

tive financial models enabled by the Internet and filling thegaps not addressed by the existing financial system. Theidea behind crowdfunding is that many people can con-tribute small amounts of money to enable big things tohappen. To date, crowdfunding has been limited to grants, prod-

uct pre-purchases, and micro-loans. But that’s about tochange. The JOBS Act, which goes into effect next year,will allow crowdfunding sites to begin selling equityshares in companies, enabling capital to flow directly tosmaller firms, bypassing Wall Street altogether. It may betoo late for some firms, but this could prove to be a valu-able path to survival, growth, and competitiveness forsmall independent companies whose fate is still undecid-ed—especially for those who can draw on the good will oftheir communities.Independents interested in this path should start getting

ready now. Simply listing your company’s offer on a web-site isn’t going to be nearly enough. Start building yourbusiness case and begin strengthening ties to your futureinvestors: your community. Developsome innovative ideas that willmake a difference—a green build-ing training facility, perhaps?Ultimately, whether you want toraise equity investment or con-tribute to a creative idea, crowd-funding could prove that notonly is small beautiful, butit’s a sound financial strate-gy, too.

Jay TomptManaging Partner

William Verde & Associates(415) 321-0848

[email protected]

Small is beautiful


DEALER BriefsO’Neal Brothers, Laurel, De.,

has closed after 57 years. Owner Chris Johnson is continuing

to sell from his Laurel home, asO’Neal & Johnson Hardware &Building Supply , and hopes toopen in a new storefront in the fall.

Lowe’s will invest $5 million torepair and enlarge its flatbed distributioncenter in Thomasville, N.C., that wasdamaged Nov. 17 by a tornado.

LaValley Building Supply,Middleton, N.H., suffered damage to adry kiln in a June 20 fire.

Westlake Ace Hardwareclosed its 16-year-old store in NWDallas, Tx., July 31 and its 5-year-oldunit in St. Charles, Mo., July 1.

Palos Ace Hardware, PalosHeights, Il., owners Dan and PattieHarris early this fall will add an Ace in aformer True Value shop in Lemont, Il.Southern Hardware, Peters-

burg, Va., is closing after 65 years.

Northwest True ValueHardware, Roanoke, Va., will build a$1.5-million, 20,000-sq. ft. store #7 inRidgeway, Va., by early next year.Jason Yopp will serve as mgr.

Frattallone’s Hardware, ArdenHills, Mn., opened store #18—a 12,000-sq. ft. unit in St. Louis Park, Mn.

D.W. Moody True ValueHardware, Montgomery, Al., closedJuly 14 after 62 years.

Jones’ Ace Hardware, Vermil-lion, S.D., is expanding to take over thespace vacated by a sister grocery store.

Kodiak Building Partners,Denver, Co., acquired the assets ofspecialty dealer Gulf & Basco ,Houston, Tx.

TW Perry added a Design Centerin Gaithersburg, Md.

Beacon Roofing Supply ,Peabody, Ma., opened branch #200 inMyrtle Beach, S.C.

Wausau Supply, Schofield, Wi.,has acquired 40 acres in Rapid City,S.D., to build a 59,400-sq. ft. DC.


Get specific employee input forimproving the work climate and makeconstructive changes with the sugges-tions you receive.7. Remind people of goals—and

the part they each play in achievingthem. Companies with high levels oftrust are very effective at communicat-ing the company’s business goals andthe part each employee plays inachieving them. When people under-stand why certain decisions are madeand feel that their roles are vital inhelping the company achieve success,they take more ownership and pride inwhat they’re doing.8. Leadership needs to show they

trust employees. Be sure to talk aboutthe strengths of your organization andhow it is the combined effort of theemployees that has brought everyonethis far. Let them know you believe intheir abilities and appreciate their loy-alty. And avoid creating an environ-ment where employees feel that “BigBrother is watching.” Nothing breedsdistrust like distrust.– Patrick Sweeney is president of inter-

national management consulting firmCaliper. Reach him at (609) 524-1200 [email protected].

strengths their teams bring. Real lead-ership wisdom comes from knowingthe team—and using that informationto create a clear plan.3. Tell the whole truth, and noth-

ing but the truth. Communicate often.Don’t withhold information or try tosugar-coat the issues. Share what youknow for sure. Be honest when you’reuncertain. People may not like whatthey’re hearing, but when they knowthey have full disclosure, they needn’tspend energy wondering where thingsstand, imagining worst-case scenarios,or feeding the rumor mill until an “usvs. them” mentality evolves.4. Balance hardware with human.

Don’t leave everything to email orother electronic communication.Conduct more face-to-face talks andbe sure the leadership team is visible.Walk around more; get a handle on thepulse of the organization. The moreaware you are of potential trust issues,the quicker you can step in andaddress them with candor, concernand credibility. 5. Hold employees accountable.

High-trust organizations reward topperformers while also holding poorperformers accountable through disci-pline, and even termination. If stellaremployees see unproductive co-work-ers getting away with poor perfor-mance with no real consequences,resentment and distrust in leadershipcan build quickly.6. Let people talk about their con-

cerns and ideas—and listen. To gethonest feedback, conduct attitude sur-veys. These can help you determine if,and why, trust is low. Use surveyresults to sit down with employees anddelve deeper into why trust is lackingand what could be done to improve it.

MASTERING LeadershipBy Patrick Sweeney

8 ways leaders canbuild greater trustIS TRUST ON ITS way to becoming anendangered species? With an ever-

changing business climate—anduncertainty being the name of thegame—it’s no wonder that less thanhalf of employees have trust and con-fidence in their senior leaders, accord-ing to a recent Watson Wyatt surveyof 12,000 workers. But while distrust may be under-

standable, it can be detrimental to suc-cess. Without trust, employees are lessproductive, less dedicated, and lesswilling to take initiative. And, lackingtrust can create a ripple effect thatspreads throughout the organization. Here are some ways to build

employee confidence and greater trustinternally: 1. We’re in this together. Always

speak in terms of “us” and “we.” Talkabout shared responsibility as well asshared hardships. Express belief, aslong as it’s sincere, in everyone’s abil-ity to pull together and meet the chal-lenges that lie ahead. Give people per-mission to whine briefly about someof the struggles and the crises, butafter you have communicated openly,ask them to move on so you can allfocus on maximizing efficiency andimproving customer service. Theleader-employee relationship is onethat matters now, more than ever.2. Share the plan. Outline the

challenges that exist and share thestrategy for the how the organizationwill address them. Employees arelooking to management for a plan andguidance. They want to know thingshave been thought through and realsteps are being taken to remain com-petitive and move forward. Leaders must not become overly

focused on what they don’t have. Theyshould focus on their teams and what


L.R. McCoy, Worcester, Ma., is liquidating its inventoryand closing this month after 90 years.

Rex Lumber Co., Graceville, Fl., suffered an estimated$500,000 in damage from a July 12 fire that engulfed a dry kiln,but spared the mill.

Robbins Lumber, Searsmont, Me., has expanded itswarehouse and is installing a new debarker at its sawmill.

Alamco Wood Products, Albert Lea, Mn., has takenover the nearby former Master Fit Technologies post-and-beam facility and converted it into a laminated utility poleplant. Bart Belshan is now plant mgr. of both Alamco plants.

Richardson Timbers, Dallas, Tx., is now stocking red-wood from Redwood Empire, Cloverdale, Ca.Weyerhaeuser is now distributing WindsorOne trim,

specialty boards, and mouldings in Texas.

Georgia Structural Components, Tifton, Ga., isnow a stocking distributor of Georgia-Pacific EWPs. Sunset Moulding, Live Oak, Ca., is running a new

MDF line at its plant in Idabel, Ok.

Advantage Business Computer Systems, FortWorth, Tx., announced a technology integration with Blue-Tarp Financial, Charlotte, N.C.

SUPPLIER BriefsCedar Creek Extends Mid-AtlanticThis month, Midwest wholesaler Cedar Creek,

Oklahoma City, Ok., is expanding to the East Coast, open-ing its fourteenth branch in Richmond, Va.The property was purchased for $3.85 million from

N.B. Goodwyn & Sons Lumber. Bob Rue, ex-BlueLinx,will serve as branch general manager.Cedar Creek has been serving southern and western

Virginia since it acquired Epperson Lumber’s Statesville,N.C., facility last year. The Richmond branch will providebetter coverage throughout the state and expand service tothe Tidewater and Washington, D.C., markets.“This expansion is further evidence of our commitment

to growing the footprint of Cedar Creek and opening newmarkets,” said c.e.o. Bill Adams. “We view this as a greatopportunity to increase our presence outside of our tradi-tional mid-South markets and enter what’s forecasted to beone of the best growth areas in the country.”

Short & Paulk Spins Off Truss UnitShort & Paulk Supply, Tifton, Ga., has spun-off its

truss-manufacturing operation as a separate business divi-sion named Georgia Structural Components. “The wholesale-only orientation of our new GSC divi-

sion provides an opportunity for substantial developmentas we continue to expand this distribution channel,” saidc.e.o. Jay Short. “It just makes sense for us to seek newmarkets for our growing manufacturing capabilities.”GSC will distribute trusses and engineered wood prod-

ucts through Short & Paulk’s four retail locations, as wellas its growing network of dealer locations.

Steve Linsky , National Lumber,Mansfield, Ma., has retired after 47years in the industry.

Lauren Litwin has joined the outsidesales team at Russin Lumber,Montgomery, N.Y., serving north-ern Ma., southeastern N.H., and Me.

Chip Adams, ex-84 Lumber is a newdealer sales rep at Dixie Plywood& Lumber, Charlotte, N.C.

Mike Duval, ex-Parksite, is now EWPterritory mgr. at BlueLinx, Albany,N.Y. Kevin Karas is a new cus-tomer sales rep in San Antonio, Tx.Peter Sarris is new to inside salesin Atlanta, Ga.

Christopher Sackett was promoted topresident of American Cypress &Hardwood, Greensboro, N.C.

Carl Amspaugh, ex-84 Lumber, isnew to outside sales at CarterLumber, Lancaster, Oh.

Andrea Spillers, ex-Temple-Inland, isa new account mgr. at Weyer-haeuser, Hot Springs, Ar.

John Maiuri has been promoted tov.p.-marketing & business develop-ment at Spruce Computer Systems,Latham, N.Y.

MOVERS & Shakers

Mike Lombardi, ex-TimberRoots,has been named area operationsmgr. for Edward Hines Lumber,Buffalo Grove, Il.

Paul Whatley, ex-Lowe’s, is a newdealer account rep at BroadBuilding Supply, Columbia, Mo.

Michael Harig is a new architecturalmillwork specialist at SmithPhillips Building Supply, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Ron Long, ex-EcoGreen Forest Pro-ducts, has rejoined Huttig BuildingProducts, in sales to Va., N.C., andS.C. He is based in Millers Creek,N.C.

Del Oldland, ex-Lee Lumber, is newto pro commercial sales atProBuild, Waldorf, Md.

Mike Menz is now in sales at MJBWood Group, Huntersville, N.C.

Gus Welter, ex-Universal ForestProducts, has been named presidentof Granite Valley Forest Products,Marathon, Wi.

John Ritz is now in outside sales forRobbins Lumber, Searsmont, Me.Tonia Tibbetts and Peter Kinneyare new to inside sales.

Bill Myrick has been named c.e.o. ofAmerican Builders Supply,Sanford, Fl.

Henry Ball is new to outside/installedsales at 84 Lumber, Statesville,N.C.

Mike Russell, TECO, Shreveport, La.,has been promoted to plywood cer-tification mgr.

Michele White, ex-BlueLinx, is a newbuyer at Lumbermens Merchandis-ing Corp., Wayne, Pa.

Greg Sagorski was named director oftechnical services for Atlas RoofingCorp., Atlanta, Ga. succeedingRichard Roe, who retired after 15years with Atlas. Stanley Bastek isnow district sales mgr. for Georgia.

Tom Kochanski, ex-84 Lumber, hasjoined Lowe’s, Stroudsburg, Pa., asa commercial sales specialist.

Robert Hunter, ex-Rex Lumber, isnew to inside sales at PrimeSourceBuilding Products, Waterbury, Ct.

Richard Kelly, ex-Bodyguard WoodProducts, is now national sales &marketing mgr. for Rockstep andPro Line stone products at NorseBuilding Products, Allenton, Wi.

Three Things I’ve Learned: Tips from Seasoned Pros

NOW WITH 1-YEAR NO-SAND WARRANTY

Nathan Steere, JL Schwieters Building Supply Inc.“Look for innovation.”

www.pointsixexperts.com/nathan

Nathan Steere of JL Schwieters in Hugo, Minnesota, knows that a building supplier can’t rely on yesterday’s technology. So he’s always on the lookout for what’s new. Like pointSIX Durastrand Flooring, with its innovative tapered edge. Learn something new yourself by watching “Three Things I’ve Learned: Tips from Seasoned Pros,” one in a series of short high-value videos from pointSIX and Ainsworth Engineered.

SCAN TOVIEW VIDEO

Anne Crowder, ex-Weyerhaeuser, isnow general product line mgr. atBoise Cascade, Greensboro, N.C.

Brian Rivers, ex-BASF, is new tosales at Trevdan Building Supply,Chester Springs, Pa.

Bill Tucker, ex-Florida BuildingMaterial Association, has joinedexecutive recruiter SchafferAssociates, Charlotte, N.C.

Robert Murphy has been promotedto store mgr. at McCoy’s BuildingSupply, Alpine, Tx.

Jerry Bell has been named ware-house operations mgr. for HorizonForest Products, Sterling, Va.

Michael Flanagan has been namedflooring installation mgr. at MarineHome Center, Nantucket, Ma.

David Grace, executive v.p. andchief financial officer, BeaconRoofing Supply, Peabody, Ma., isretiring Jan. 1 after 25 years due tohealth concerns.

Ben Cobb, Home Builders SupplyCo., Greenville, N.C., has beenpromoted to v.p. of finance &operations.

Andrew Randle, ex-Stock BuildingSupply, has joined RosenMaterials, Sunrise, Fl., as directorof national accounts.

Kevin Cook has joined the insidesales team at Huttig BuildingProducts, Greer, S.C.

Camden Carpenter, ex-Rayonier, isnow in sales at Riverside ForestProducts, Augusta, Ga.

Mike Kudiak is now senior merchan-dising mgr. for PACOA, PortWashington, N.Y.

William Guzik has been named chieffinancial officer for Ace HardwareCorp., Oak Brook, Il.

Kim LaRose now handles customersupport for OSB sales at TolkoIndustries, Vernon, B.C.

Todd Buehl, ex-Hendricks HoldingCo., has been named v.p. and chiefadministrative officer at ABCSupply, Beloit, Wi. Bob Brechlinis new to outside sales in WestHaven, Ct.

Mark Ouellette, ex-Brockway-Smith, is now Northeast territorymgr. for Intex Millwork Solutions,Millville, N.J.

Nick Purdy, ex-Home Depot, is newto sales at Kenseal ConstructionProducts, Long Island, N.Y.

Mike Knight, ex-Gorell Windows, isnow Eastern regional sales mgr.for Thermal Industries, Pittsburgh,Pa.

Eric Bernstein, ex-Stanley Black &Decker, has been named v.p.-mar-keting & product development forAmes True Temper, Camp Hill,Pa.

Bret Cornett, ex-ProBuild, is thenew market operations mgr. forProfessional Builders Supply,Morrisville, N.C.

Charles VandenBosch is new toNissan Forklift Corp., Marengo,Il., as senior mgr. of outside sales.

Craig Glander has joined AmericanLumber Underwriters, Duluth, Ga.,as v.p.-field executive sales. MarkWoodhull was promoted to v.p.-underwriting. President Bob Finckwill retire later this year.

Paul H. Shipp, principal researchassociate, USG Corp., Libertyville,Il., received the title of fellow andthe Award of Merit from ASTMInternational for his contributionsto Committee E05 on fire stan-dards.

Missy Sippy and Lou Ziana haveopened a South Central regionalsales office for Mungus-FungusForest Products, Climax, Nv.,according to co-owners HughMungus and Freddy Fungus.

Three Things I’ve Learned: Tips from Seasoned Pros

NOW WITH 1-YEAR NO-SAND WARRANTY

Nathan Steere, JL Schwieters Building Supply Inc.“Look for innovation.”

www.pointsixexperts.com/nathan

Nathan Steere of JL Schwieters in Hugo, Minnesota, knows that a building supplier can’t rely on yesterday’s technology. So he’s always on the lookout for what’s new. Like pointSIX Durastrand Flooring, with its innovative tapered edge. Learn something new yourself by watching “Three Things I’ve Learned: Tips from Seasoned Pros,” one in a series of short high-value videos from pointSIX and Ainsworth Engineered.

SCAN TOVIEW VIDEO


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1-800-667-8247 www.bwcreativewood.com

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DO IT BEST broke ground for a $30 million, 550,000-sq. ft. retail servicecenter at a new 103-acre technology park in Sikestown, Mo. Scheduledto open in 2014, the new center will replace an older one in CapeGirardeau, Mo., which opened in 1971.

Legal Troubles Strike Empire A court-appointed receiver has taken over operations of

Empire Wholesale Lumber, Akron, Oh., and two affiliatedentities. According to court records, the receiver—Tim Collins,

Collins & Scanlon LLP, Cleveland, Oh.—will operateEmpire until its operations are restructured or stabilized,until a buyer or other source of capital is secured to repaythe company’s debt, or until its assets are liquidated torepay its debts.Attorneys for Huntington Bank—which is owed $19.5

million on a $30 million revolving credit loan—filed alawsuit and pushed for receivership when it became clearthat Empire could no longer meet its loan agreements orpay its debts. Of special concern is more than $8 million ofinventory that was listed as collateral for the loan, butallegedly was shipped to Boix Le Roux, Weedon, Q.C.,which is also in receivership. A related company, LumberServices, owes Empire $2.1 million of accounts receivable,but allegedly has closed indefinitely. Despite various allegations of fraud, no criminal

charges have been filed, but the investigation is continuing.According to Empire, the sole person responsible for com-munications with Boix Le Roux and Lumber Servicesrecently committed suicide. Vice president John HarveyGraves Jr., 46, son of founder Harvey Graves, died Feb. 24(see April, p. 43). Founded in 1949, Empire had 11 branch offices, but the

one in Portland, Or., has been closed. Still open are officesin Tampa, Fl.; Clarksville, In.; Lansing, Mi.; Bedford,N.H., Raleigh, Statesville, and Taylors, N.C.; Naperville,Il.; Cannan, Ct., and La Prairie, Q.C.

Hartville Opens Nationʼs LargestIndependent Hardware StoreHartville Hardware has rolled three operations into one

massive 305,000-sq. ft. store on seven acres of retail spacein Hartville, Oh., reportedly creating the largest indepen-dently owned hardware store in the country.“Back in the ’80s, my father had a vision for the

Hartville Marketplace, Hartville Kitchen, and HartvilleHardware to all be on the same campus,” said WayneMiller, who operates the company with his brother,


NEW BOARDWALK in Destin, Fl., used 85,000 bd. ft. of Viance’s Ecolife weather-resistant framingand decking, which was treated and supplied by Cox Industries.

Howard. “We wanted to have a desti-nation hardware store—a unique storethat people would come to.” Six years ago, the Millers began

traveling around the country toresearch what would set them apartfrom the big-boxes. “It’s product selection—we have

close to 70,000 items and they haveabout 40,000,” said Wayne. “We havehard-to-find items and we have thecustomer service. We have specialistsin every department.” The new store has two floors, six

different entrances and cash registerareas, a three-lane drive-thru lumber-yard, and a 1,850-sq. ft. “ideashouse.” Still being built are kitchenand bath display areas behind fourexteriors facades of different architec-tural styles common in eastern Ohio.


focused operations are usually moreprofitable. Identify the most prof-itable services, plants, products,salespeople, or regions in your busi-ness.

22.. Plan for Success. Planning isone of the most well-founded princi-ples of personal and business effec-tiveness. Although the time horizonis shorter in today’s fast economy,planning at all levels within your

company (as well as among the shareholder group) willsignificantly improve the likelihood of hitting targets.Effective planning should trickle down through the busi-ness. Each level of planning inside the business shouldprovide the context for the next level and result in a betterorganizational alignment.A solid strategic plan is important, but remember, “The

devil is in the details!” Companies that are diligent abouttranslating strategies into specific, individual performanceobjectives tend to operate more effectively and efficiently.

33.. Communicate. Communica-tion sounds intuitiveenough, but many families in business simply miss themark. In spite of numerous efforts by management, lack ofcommunication is predictably the number one complaintresulting from employee opinion surveys. A closer look atthe data states that employees really want/need answers tofour questions:• Where is the business going? (Strategy)• What are we doing to get there? (Plans)• What can I do to contribute? (Roles)• What’s in it for me? (Rewards)Ensure that these questions are answered before com-

municating about other topics. Leaders from today’s mostsuccessful companies argue that, “Leadership isCommunication.” Therefore, to be an effective leader,ensure that communication is a top priority and is honest,consistent, and two-way.

44.. Define Processes. Underdevel-oped infrastructure

FAMILY BusinessBy James Olan Hutcheson

CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE. Wehear about globalization, speed,

technology, virtual workforces,labor market, outsourcing, belt-tightening, etc. These and otherforces may change the daily chal-lenges of work, but the basic princi-ples of leading a family businesseffectively remain unchanged.Although everyone likes to talk

about leadership (and it is clearlyvery important), it is not the antidoteto all problems. The message of leadership is repackaged,over and over again, with a new twist or a new voice beck-oning us to follow. Compare the marketing of leadership to the principle of

weight loss—consume fewer calories than you burn. Thisprinciple is very simple at its core, but as it is packagedand marketed, its complexity can become dizzying.The problem with many of today’s family business

executives is not a lack of knowledge or inspirational lead-ership, but rather a lack of application of knowledge. Inother words, there is frequently a knowing/doing gap.Leading a family business has, in many ways, not

changed over the years, and spending time trying to inventnew leadership techniques is probably not a good use oftime. Assuming that you have a solid understanding ofyour business and industry, your time and energy is wellspent on specific actions and implementation. Considerthese well-known “secrets”:

11.. Focus. Identify your market, your competitiveadvantage, and your firm’s expertise, then stick to it.Staying on course with what you do best is often an opera-tional challenge for entrepreneurs. Maintain your focus byautomating, streamlining, or outsourcing functions that arenot core to your business.A recent study found that the most profitable companies

sold fewer products and had fewer customers and suppli-ers. Their conclusion, “complexity leads to overhead thatresults in increased expenses.” Adding complexity general-ly leads to increased sales with eroding net margins, while

7 secrets of successin your family business


(systems, processes, structures) is oneof the most common risk factors forfamily businesses. Are your processesand systems?• Clear• Replicable• Documented• Supported by tools• Easily accessibleAlthough it is always easy to say,

“We need a new system,” it is betterto streamline the manual systemsbefore changing technical systems.Many companies who reverse thisorder simply end up automating inef-ficiencies.As an acid test for how well the

processes are defined, documentedand consistently used by employees,ask, “How easily could we franchiseour business?” Effective processesenable management to work “on” thebusiness rather than “in” the business.

55.. Design your Culture. Culturecan be very complex. Pared down,however, it is all about behavior.Simply put, you want to design sys-tems to reinforce behaviors that sup-port your strategy. Cultures are creat-ed and reinforced by:• Rules and policies• Goals and measures• Staffing and selection• Training and development• Ceremonies and events• Leadership behavior• Communications• Rewards and recognition• Physical environment• Organizational structureOne family management team was

experiencing tremendous growth andwas concerned that they might losethe autonomous culture of the compa-ny. Unfortunately, the incrediblydetailed policies they implementedgave the opposite message to mostemployees. Another company recognized that

in order to grow the business theyneeded to give senior managers moreaccountability. The c.e.o’s leadershipbehavior (micromanaging), communi-cation patterns (informal and haphaz-ard), and employee development(minimal) continued. As a result, themanagement team (family and non-family) never jelled. Needless to say,this company’s growth was very tur-bulent and slow. This latter exampleis not unusual to see in an entrepre-neurial family business.

66.. Select and Train. You can


receive the greatest return on invest-ment by simply managing yourhuman capital resources. Selectionand training are the two best leversfor improving human capital.• Resist the “warm body” syn-

drome. Hire a good fit for the compa-ny and do not compromise. Employeeselection is often the least effectivelyexecuted management activity.• Train continuously using a broad

definition of training (mentoring,developmental assignments, specialprojects, building external networks,providing well-rounded feedback).• Ensure that all employees under-

stand the business: the cost/revenuedriver and how they can contribute tothe financial success.

77.. Measure Performance. Meas-urement and feedback, like planning,are well-founded principles of humanbehavior. You can do everything cor-rectly, but if you do not measure per-formance, you limit the company’sability to adjust. When measuringresults, keep these tips in mind:• Measure what matters.• Keep it simple.• Focus on a few key success fac-

tors.• Remember, what gets measured,

gets done.• Manage what you measure.• Use your performance manage-

ment system as a strategic tool, not ahuman resources program.• Err on measuring more frequent-

ly and less in depth.• Reward along the way and in lit-

tle steps. Waiting until the end of amajor project is often too great a dis-tance from start to finish. Remember,“What you can measure, you canreward.”Revenue, earnings, margins and

management are fundamental to afirm’s value. Intellectual property,brand image, and “eye balls” addvalue but, independent from the fun-damentals, are usually not enough tosupport a lasting, high value of anyfirm. Turning these “secrets” intoactions will help create sustainableadvantages in your family business.– James Olan Hutcheson is managing

partner and founder of ReGenerationPartners, a family business consultingfirm headquartered in Dallas, Tx. He canbe reached at (800) 406-1112 orwww.regeneration-partners.com.

Reprinted with permission of ReGenerationPartners. No portion of this article may bereproduced without its permission.


Surrey, BC • fax 888-620-3964 • [email protected] • www.crawfordcreeklumber.com

British Columbia WESTERN RED CEDAR,D Fir, Hemlock

FSC /PEFC CERTIFIEDRough, Finished & Engineered Products

Thieves Hit 84 LumberThe thieves who hit 84 Lumber in

Clarksville, Tn., in late June got awaywith property valued at $65,000,including lumber, shingles, hand tools,a chainsaw, a forklift, and two trucks.“They are pretty bold,” said police

officer Jim Knoll. “You figure theytake large trucks that have businesslogos on them. You’d think that wouldbe pretty easy to find.”In fact, police did recover the fork-

lift and one of the trucks 60 milesaway from the crime scene. They arestill looking for the second truck andother stolen items.

Rugby Reaches West CoastRugby Architectural Building

Products, Concord, N.H., has expand-ed to the West Coast with its acquisi-tion of bankrupt wholesaler LumberProducts, Tualatin, Or.“The acquisition of Lumber

Products supports our strategy todiversify geographically, extendingRugby’s footprint into key westernmarkets,” said David Hughes, Rugbypresident and c.e.o. “Furthermore, thetransaction enhances our productofferings in our core industrial base ofproducts, as well as increases ourvalue-added components and serviceofferings targeted at the commercialand residential construction sector.”Lumber Products’ locations in

Tualatin and Eugene, Or.; Kent and

Slightly rising demand for residen-tial skylights was one of the few brightspots in a new study of the U.S. mar-ket for windows and doors by theWindow & Door ManufacturersAssociation and American Architec-tural Manufacturers Association. Demand for residential skylights

rose 2% from 2010 to 2011. Theincrease was driven heavily by thecontinued strength of remodeling andreplacement activity, which now rep-resents more than 80% of the residen-tial skylight market. For 2012, themarket is expected to grow 6% over-all. Forecasts indicate continuedgrowth through 2015.The demand for prime windows,

however, continued to remain slow in2011, following housing activity ingeneral, after falling from peak vol-umes in 2006. The demand for win-

dows in new housing decreased by 2%in 2011, though remains slightly aheadof 2009 levels. Demand in 2012 isexpected to increase further as thehousing recovery begins to gainmomentum. Meanwhile, remodeling and

replacement windows fell by nearly12% versus 2010. In total, the residen-tial window market decreased 9%.Little change in the segmentation

for interior door material types isexpected over the next five years.However, significant volume isexpected to return to the entry andinterior door market as new construc-tion rebounds. Further, nonresidential construction

declined slightly in 2011, temperinggrowth in the nonresidential entry andinterior door categories.

Skylights Warm to Sunny Forecast

Spokane, Wa.; Boise, Id.; Salt LakeCity, Ut., and Albuquerque, N.M., arenow doing business as Rugby, whileits former distribution center inChandler, Az., will be consolidatedwith Rugby’s operation in Phoenix,Az.The acquisition is Rugby’s ninth

since 2010, more than doubling itsrevenue base and enlarging the com-pany to 20 distribution centers fromcoast to coast.

Vinyl Siding Recycling GrowsDistributor Eikenhout Inc. has

expanded its vinyl recycling programfrom its corporate headquarters inGrand Rapids, Mi., to all seven of itsfacilities in Michigan. In partnership with a regional recy-

cler and siding manufacturerCertainTeed Corp., Valley Forge, Pa.,the new program offers contractorseasy, environmentally friendly optionsfor disposal of vinyl siding. Each location now features a large

recycling container. For large con-struction projects, job-site containersare available upon request at no cost tocontractors.

VAMPIRE HUNTERS on HBO’s True Blood willuse Blackbat Trueline construction stakes tovanquish the undead in the fictional town ofBon Temps, La. To make them showbiz-ready,the hardwood stakes were stained and polishedat the company’s factory in Fort Smith, Ar. “Ourbrand awareness just went off the Richterscale,” said president Howard Bagby.


IMPROVING TIME MANAGEMENT forsalespeople has been an obsession

of mine for more than 30 years. In thelast decade, I’ve been involved inhelping tens of thousands of salespeo-ple better their results through moreeffective use of their time. Over the years, I’ve seen some reg-

ularly occurring patterns develop—tendencies on the part of salespeopleto do things that detract from theireffective use of time. Here are the fourmost common time-wasters I’veobserved. See if any apply to you oryour salespeople.1. Allure of the urgent/trivialSalespeople love to be busy and

active. We have visions of ourselvesas people who can get things done. Noidle dreamers, we’re out there makingthings happen!A big portion of our sense of worth

and our personal identity is dependenton being busy. At some level in ourself image, being busy means that wereally are important. One of the worstthings that can happen to us is to havenothing to do, nowhere to go, andnothing going on. So, we latch ontoevery task that comes our way, regard-less of the importance. For example, one of our customers

calls with a back-order problem. “Ohgood!” we think. “Something to do!We are needed! We can fix it!” So, wedrop everything and spend two hoursexpediting the backorder. In retrospect, couldn’t someone in

purchasing or customer service havedone that? And couldn’t they havedone it better than you? And didn’tyou just allow something that was alittle urgent but trivial prevent youfrom making some sales calls? Andwouldn’t those potential sales calls be

KAHLE On SalesBy Dave Kahle

Biggest time wastersfor salespeople

a whole lot better use of your time?Or, one of our customers hands us a

very involved “Request for Quote.”“Better schedule a half-day at theoffice,” we think. “Need to look upspecifications, calculate prices, com-pile literature, etc.” We become imme-diately involved with this task, work-ing on this project for our customer. Inretrospect, couldn’t we have given theproject to an inside salesperson or cus-tomer service rep to do the leg work?Couldn’t we have just communicatedthe guidelines to someone and thenreviewed the finished proposal? Once again, we succumbed to the

lure of the present task. That prevent-ed us from making sales calls andsiphoned our energy away from theimportant to the seemingly urgent.I could go on for pages with exam-

ples, but you get the idea. We are soenamored with being busy and feelingneeded that we often grab at any taskthat comes our way, regardless of howunimportant. Each time we do, we

to the point where they have a com-fortable routine. They make enoughmoney and they have established rou-tines and habits that are comfortable.They really don’t want to expend theenergy it takes to do things in a betterway, or to become more successful oreffective.

This can be good. Some of thehabits and routines that we followwork well for us. However, our rapid-ly changing world constantly

a whole lot better use of your time?Or, one of our customers hands us

a very involved “Request for Quote.”“Better schedule a half-day at theoffice,” we think. “Need to look upspecifications, calculate prices, com-pile literature, etc.” We becomeimmediately involved with this task,working on this project for our cus-tomer. In retrospect, couldn’t we havegiven the project to an inside salesper-son or customer service rep to do theleg work? Couldn’t we have just com-municated the guidelines to someoneand then reviewed the finished pro-posal?

Once again, we succumbed to thelure of the present task. That prevent-ed us from making sales calls andsiphoned our energy away from theimportant to the seemingly urgent.

I could go on for pages with exam-ples, but you get the idea. We are soenamored with being busy and feelingneeded that we often grab at any taskthat comes our way, regardless ofhow unimportant. Each time we do,we compromise our ability to investour selling times more effectively.

2. The comfort of the status quoA lot of salespeople have evolved

demands new methods, techniques,habits and routines. Just becausesomething has been effective for afew years doesn’t mean that it contin-ues to be so. This problem developswhen salespeople are so content withthe way things are, they have notchanged anything in years.

If you haven’t changed or chal-lenged some habit or routine in thelast few years, chances are you are notas effective as you could be.

For example, you could still bewriting phone messages down on lit-tle slips of paper, when entering theminto your contact manager would bemore effective. This is a simple exam-ple of a principle that can extendtowards the most important thingsthat we do. Are we using the sameroutines for organizing our workweek, for determining who to call on,for understanding our customers, forcollecting information, etc.? There isno practical end to the list.

Contentment with the status quoalmost always means salespeople whoare not as effective as they could be.

3. Lack of trust in other peoplein the organization

Salespeople have a natural tenden-

compromise our ability to invest ourselling times more effectively.2. The comfort of the status quoA lot of salespeople have evolved

to the point where they have a com-fortable routine. They make enoughmoney and they have established rou-tines and habits that are comfortable.They really don’t want to expend theenergy it takes to do things in a betterway, or to become more successful oreffective.This can be good. Some habits and

routines work well for us. However,our rapidly changing world constantlydemands new methods, techniques,habits and routines. Just becausesomething has been effective for a fewyears doesn’t mean it continues to beso. This problem develops when sales-people are so content with the waythings are, they have not changed any-thing in years. If you haven’t changedor challenged a habit or routine in thelast few years, chances are you’re notas effective as you could be. For example, you could still be

writing phone messages down on littleslips of paper, when entering theminto your contact manager would bemore effective. This is a simple exam-ple of a principle that can extendtowards the most important things thatwe do. Are we using the same routinesfor organizing our work week, fordetermining who to call on, for under-standing our customers, for collectinginformation, etc.? There is no practicalend to the list.Contentment with the status quo

almost always means salespeople whoare not as effective as they could be.3. Lack of trust in other peoplein the organization


them because they, the salespeople,don’t trust them to do it. Too bad. It’sa tremendous waste of good sellingtime and talent.4. Lack of tough-mindedthoughtfulnessUltimately, time management

begins with thoughtfulness. Thatmeans a sufficient quantity of goodquality thought-energy invested in theprocess. I like to say that good timemanagement is a result of “thinkingabout it before you do it.” Good time managers invest suffi-

ciently in this process. They set asidetime each year to create annual goals,they invest planning time every quar-ter and every month to create plans forthose times, they plan every week andevery sales call. Poor sales time man-agers don’t dedicate sufficient time tothe “thinking about it” phase of theirjob.Not only do good sales time man-

agers invest a sufficient quantity oftime, but they also are disciplined andtough-minded about how they think.They ask themselves good questions,and answer them with as much objec-tivity as they can muster. “What do I really want to accom-

Salespeople have a natural tenden-cy to work alone. After all, we spendmost of the day by ourselves. Wedecide where to go by ourselves, wedecide what to do by ourselves, andwe are pretty much on our own all daylong. It’s no wonder then, that we justnaturally want to do everything byourselves.That’s generally a positive person-

ality trait for a salesperson.Unfortunately, when it extends tothose tasks that could be done betterby other people in our organization, itturns into a real negative.Instead of soliciting aid from others

in the organization, and thereby mak-ing much better use of our time, manysalespeople insist on doing it them-selves, no matter how redundant andtime-consuming the task. The world isfull of salespeople who don’t trusttheir own colleagues to write an order,source a product, enter an order in thesystem, follow up on a back order,deliver some sample or literature,research a quote, deliver a proposal,etc. Again, the list could go on and on. The point is that many of these

tasks can be done better or cheaper bysomeone else in the organization. Thesalespeople don’t release the tasks to

plish in this account?” “Why aren’t they buying from

me?” “Who is the key decision-maker in

this account?” “Am I spending too much time in

this account, or not enough in thatone?”“How can I change what I am

doing in order to become more effec-tive?”These are just a few of the tough

questions that good sales time man-agers consider on a regular basis. Theydon’t allow their emotions or personalcomfort zones to dictate their plans.They go where it is smart to go, dowhat it is smart to do. They do thesethings because they have spent thequantity and quality of thought-timenecessary.Of course, there are hundreds of

other time-wasting habits. These four,however, are the most common.Correct them and you’ll be well onyour way to dramatically improvedresults.– Dave Kahle is a leading sales educa-

tor and author of nine books, including hislatest, How to Sell Anything to AnyoneAnytime. He can be reached at (800) 331-1287 or via www.davekahle.com.

EXCEPTIONAL�QUALITY�AND�DURABILITY��EXCLUSIVE�PACPRIME�COATING�PROVIDES�A�SUPERIOR�SMOOTH�FINISH��LOWER�COST�THAN�OTHER�MOULDINGS��NO�SURFACE�PREP�NEEDED��NO�RAISED�GRAIN��NO�SPLITTING�OR�

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Dealers get more tools tosell southern cypress

INDUSTRY TrendsNew SCMA website

AS MORE WOOD product suppliers are finding out,cypress building products provide beauty and durabili-

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the increased interest in cypress siding, decking, and other

mation on a product, they turn to the Internet,” says SCMAv.p. Shepard Haggerty, Williams Lumber Co. of NorthCarolina, Rocky Mount, N.C. “With the recent updates,our website is more informative, more attractive, and easi-er to use than ever before.”Under the Outdoor Applications and Interior Uses tab,

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Ace Launches New Mini FormatAce Hardware Corp., Oak Brook, Il., has launched an

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with Ace Hardware merchandise and services and operat-ing seamlessly as one retail locationAnnex locations: A current Ace retailer opens a smaller

branch store near a main retail location to increase prof-itability and provide helpful service to more consumers.Rural markets: The owner of a farm or ranch supply

store adds a smaller format store to fulfill the homeimprovement needs of the area.Urban markets: A retailer in a metro area opens a

smaller unit that optimizes available space and provides aconvenient shopping experience for urban consumers.

Hollywood Comes to Carolina YardMcGee Lumber, Charlotte, N.C., got a taste of

Hollywood in late June, when the yard was used as a set fora new Cinemax TV show. “We knew this was going to be a major inconvenience,

but this is something you don’t see every day,” said JohnDavis, owner of McGee Lumber. “This is sort of fun.”Banshee follows a mysterious ex-con with expert martial

arts skills who poses as a sheriff in Amish Pennsylvania.McGee was chosen for its old, weathered wood buildings.“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said co-owner Paul

Davis, who was impressed with the filming. He said thatthe compensation was worth it, even though the businesshad to shut down for the day.


ASSOCIATION Update

Eastern Building MaterialDealers Association will hold itsannual fall conference Oct. 3-4 atHotel Hershey, Hershey, Pa.The event kicks off with a golf

tournament at Hershey Country Club,followed by an awards dinner andguest speakers.

Florida Building MaterialsAssociation will host its annual con-vention, Gulf Atlantic BuildingProducts Expo, and Southern DesignSymposium Oct. 2-4 at the GaylordPalms Resort, Kissimmee, Fl.

The event will begin with the TomStead Golf Classic at Orange CountyNational Golf Center and an openingreception. Other highlights will be theold timer’s recognition luncheon and awelcome back reception.

Northwestern LumberAssociation is hosting a NLA-NLIboard meeting Sept. 14-16 inRochester, Mn.Nebraska directors will hold a

board meeting Sept. 26 in conjunctionwth the clay shoot in Brainard, Ne.,while Iowa trustees and legislativecommittee members will conveneSept. 27 in conjunction with the fallgolf outing in Panora, Ia.

Construction Suppliers Associa-tion has scheduled its annual meetingfor Sept. 13-14 at Hilton Garden Inn,Peachtree City, Ga.

Mid-America LumbermensAssociation has pushed its Arkansasfishing trip back a week—to Oct. 4-5.

Northeastern Retail LumberAssociation will install Jon Hallgren,Curtis Lumber, Ballston Spa, Me., asits new chairman during its annualmeeting Oct. 12-13 at the SaratogaHilton, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.Eastern New York Lumber Dealers

Association will hold its own annualmeeting on Oct. 12 at the same loca-tion, and other affiliates are finalizingthe dates for their events.Annual meetings will be held by

Vermont Retail Lumber DealersAssociation Aug. 22 at Country Clubof Barre, Barre, Vt.; New HampshireRetail Lumber Association andLumber Dealers Association of MaineSept. 7-9 at Sheraton Harborside,Portsmouth, N.H.; Long IslandLumber Association Sept. 13 at VillaLombardi’s, Holbrook, N.Y.; NewYork & Suburban Lumber AssociationOct. 4 at Terrace on the Park, Queens,N.Y.; Massachusetts Retail LumberDealers Association Nov. 1; Mid-Hudson Lumber Dealers AssociationNov. 2; Lumber Dealers Associationof Connecticut Nov. 7 at the AquaTurf Club, Plantsville, Ct.; WesternNew York Lumber DealersAssociation Nov. 8 at Oak HillCountry Club, Rochester, N.Y.;Northern New York Lumber Dealers

Association Nov. 14; Central NewYork Retail Lumber DealersAssociation Nov. 16.Building Product Retailers

Alliance is partnering with SchafferAssociates to help lumber associationmembers recruit employees.Alliance participants include

Construction Suppliers Association,Florida Building Material Association,Illinois Lumber and Building MaterialDealers Association, KentuckyBuilding Material Association,Northwestern Lumber Association,Southern Building MaterialAssociation, and Western BuildingMaterial Association. National Lumber & Building

Material Dealers Association isholding its 2012 ProDealer IndustrySummit Oct. 24-26 in Savannah, Ga.The educational and networking

forum will feature seminars, exhibitsand golf at the Club at SavannahHarbor, presented in a relaxed, three-day format to encourage networkingand personal interaction. Speakers include Dr. George

Lucas, co-author of The One MinuteNegotiator; Brian Bunt, Word ofMouth Marketing, and Ivy Zelman,c.e.o., Zelman & Associations.Southern Forest Products

Association promoted Cathy Kaake tovice president of technical marketingand Richard Kleiner to senior directorof international and treated markets. North American Wholesale

Lumber Association will partner withOregon State University to offer awood basics course Sept. 10-13 atHilton Garden Inn, Corvallis, Or. Instruction will begin with a tour of

Zip-o-Log Mills and Seneca SawmillCo. in Eugene and end with a tour ofRosboro in Springfield. Included top-ics will be manufacturing and gradingof dimension lumber, green productsand certifications, and engineeredwood.BC Wood is putting the finishing

touches on its ninth annual GlobalBuyers Mission Sept. 6-8 at theWhistler Conference Centre, Whistler,B.C.The invitation-only networking/

educational forum/tradeshow eventbrings pre-qualified internationalwood products buyers to meet withCanadian producers of remanufacturedproducts and finished materials.

Osmose has introduced anOsmose Treated Wood app for iPhoneand Android, providing information andproduct knowledge for NatureWood andMicroPro treated wood products.

Elbru Distributors , Elmira,N.Y., suffered a July 17 fire.

Johns Manville has begun pro-duction at a new EPDM commercialroofing systems facility in Milan, Oh.

ProVia, Zanesville, Oh., has addedwater-resistant, recyclable packaging toits Heritage Stone.

Johnson Lumber, Denmark,N.Y., now offers its milled flooring andsiding pre-stained and pre-treated.

Habitat for Humanity added asecond ReStore discount LBM outletin Madison, Wi.

ENAP, New Windsor, N.Y., in themonths since opening a Southern salesoffice, has added 11 new members,including Oxford Lumber, Oxford,Jacksonville, Roanoke and Talladega,Al.; Tuttle Lumber, San Marcos andLockhart, Tx.; Feldman Lumber,Brooklyn, Great Neck and Maspeth,N.Y.; Curry Lumber, Wooster, Oh.,and Wehrung’s Lumber & HomeCenter, Ottsville, Pa.

Anniversaries: Long LewisHardware, Birmingham, Al., 125th …Dukes Lumber Co., Laurel, De.,50th … Keough’s Paint &Hardware, Ridgefield, Ct., 40th.

SUPPLIER Briefs


IN Memoriam

Joe Gardiner, 43, vice president ofnational sales at 84 Lumber, Eighty-Four, Pa., died in a July 7 boatingaccident. He was named to his current posi-

tion in 2010, after joining the compa-ny in 2001 as an area manager andspending 10 years as a district manag-er with Payless Cashways.

Richard “Red” Norvell, 91, for-mer vice president of Norvell &Wallace Lumber Co., Nashville, Tn.,died July 15.A graduate of Vanderbilt

University, he served as a captain inthe Army Air Force during World WarII. He then became v.p. for the familybusiness. He later opened a pressuretreating plant, Norvell Wood Products,Nashville. Norvell & Wallace closed in 2010

after 130 years.

Robert A. Boyd Jr., 93, retiredchairman of Manufacturers ReserveSupply, Irvington, N.J., died July 8 inAliso Viejo, Ca.Mr. Boyd was the second genera-

tion of his family to run the company,which was founded by his father in1931. In 1982, he was named Lumber-

man of the Year by the New JerseyLumber Dealers Association.

Ben Enslinger, 83, owner ofEnslinger Lumber Co., La Crosse, Ks.,died July 14.

Albert Lea, Mn., died July 4 inMinneapolis, Mn. After serving in the Navy during

World War II, he spent the majority ofhis career in the lumber industry.

William Brunson “Bill” DodgeSr., 101, longtime owner and operatorof Cottrell Lumber Co., Mystic, Ct.,died July 12 in Norwich, Ct.

Royce Leon Williams, 84, ownerof H.L. Williams Lumber Co.,Daingerfield, Tx., died July 13 after amonth-long battle with pneumonia.After serving with the Army in

Korea until 1947, he joined the com-pany his father started in 1919.

Clarice M. Hafele, 98, former co-owner of Hafele’s Building Supply,Cameron, Wi., died July 16 in EauClaire, Wi.She owned and operated the busi-

ness with her late husband, GeorgeHafele.

Harold Monroe Stevens, 79, for-mer manager of Pelletier Lumber,Hardwick, Vt., died July 11 after a 10-year struggle with Alzheimer’s. After serving in the Air Force dur-

ing the Korean War, he joined PellitierLumber. After retirement, he startedhis own trucking business in EastHardwick, Vt., selling sawdust, barkmulch, and compost.

David Michael Chipps, 58, lumberinspector for Eastern Hardwoods,Hacker Valley, W.V., died July 8 inWebster Springs, W.V.

He began his career in the lumberindustry with four years at TimkenLumber Co., Timken, Ks., beforespending 17 years at La CrosseLumber Co., La Crosse. He ownedEnslinger Lumber for the past 40years.

John Dattilo Jr., 83, former ownerand president of Bayway Lumber,Linden, N.J., died June 21 in Clark,N.J.He worked most of his life at the

business founded by his father in 1929and now operated by his three sons.

Gary Lee Freeman, 60, owner andoperator of Freeman Lumber, Ripley,Ms., died June 20 in Ripley.

Martha Ann Hixson, 79, co-founder of Hixson Lumber Sales, PineBluff, Ar., died July 7 in Pine Bluff.She launched the company in 1959

with her late husband, Robert HixsonSr.

Frank Aranza Jr., 59, retiredsenior account specialist at DowBuilding Solutions, Houston, Tx., diedJune 11 in Katy, Tx.Mr. Aranza retired in 2009 after 29

years at Dow, where he earned numer-ous awards for sales excellence. He also belonged to the Greater

Houston Builders Association,Lumbermen’s Association of Texas,and Hoo-Hoo International.

Corliss “Corky” ShermanEstergren, 87, former co-owner andmanager of Home & Farm Lumber,


WE BUY AND SELL PANEL STRIPSPlywood, OSB, particleboard and MDF by thetruckloads. Lumber Source, Phone (800) 874-1953, Fax 888-576-8723, [email protected].

WANTED TO BUY

Rates: $1.20 per word (25 word min.). Phone number counts as 1word, address as 6. Centered copy or headline, $9 per line. Border, $9.Private box, $15. Column inch rate: $55 if art furnished “camera-ready”(advertiser sets the type), $65 if we set type. Send ad to Fax 949-852-0231 or dkoenig@ building-products.com. For more info, call (949) 852-

1990. Make checks payable to Cutler Publishing. Deadline: 18th of pre-vious month.

To reply to ads with private box numbers, send correspondenceto box number shown, c/o BPD. Names of advertisers using a box num-ber cannot be released.

PRODUCTS FOR SALE PRODUCTS FOR SALE

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BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIESPATENTED TECHNOLOGY for Fencing,Decking, Posts: We are in search of partner orlicensee(s) to bring new encapsulated lumberprofiles to market. Technology provides abilityto make cost effective, structural wood compos-ites for decking/fencing/post applications.Barry, (508) 776-2647, [email protected].

Kick-startyour 2013

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Ensure your ad message reachesEVERY company attending the 22001122NNAAWWLLAA TTrraaddeerrss MMaarrkkeett by advertis-ing in Traders’ Preview, a SpecialSupplement appearing with bothBuilding Products Digest and TheMerchant Magazine.For one low price, you receive:

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Call Chuck Caseyor Alan Oakes at949.852.1990


DATE BookListings are often submitted months in advance. Always verify

dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend.

Northern New York Lumber Dealers Assn. – Aug. 15, fishingderby, Clayton, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; nrla.org.

Central New York Retail Lumber Dealers Assn. – Aug. 16, clam-bake, Spinning Wheel, Syracuse, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; nrla.org.

Northwestern Lumber Assn. – Aug. 16, Twins baseball game,Target Field, Minneapolis, Mn.; (763) 544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

Ace Hardware Corp. – Aug. 16-18, fall market, McCormick PlaceSouth, Chicago, Il.; (630) 990-7662; www.acehardware.com.

Orgill Inc. – Aug. 16-18, dealer market, Las Vegas ConventionCenter, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 347-2860; www.orgill.com.

New Jersey Building Materials Dealers Assn. – Aug. 20, golf, KnobHill Golf Course, Manalapan, N.J.; Aug. 24, fishing trip, MunicipalHarbor, Atlantic Highlands, N.J.; (908) 359-1184; njbmda.org.

Vermont Retail Lumber Dealers Assn. – Aug. 22, annual meeting,Country Club of Barre, Barre, Vt.; (518) 286-1010; nrla.org.

International Woodworking Fair – Aug. 22-25, Georgia World Con-gress Center, Atlanta, Ga.; (404) 693-8333; www.iwfatlanta.com.

Northeastern Young Lumber Execs – Aug. 23, Red Sox game,Fenway Park, Boston, Ma.; (518) 286-1010; nrla.org.

Southern Pressure Treaters’ Assn. – Aug. 23-25, summer meet-ing, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, N.C.; (318) 619-8589; spta.org.

Northwestern Lumber Association – Aug. 23, golf, Hickory GroveGolf Course, Fennimore, Wi.; Aug. 27, Royal St. Patrick Course,Wrightstown, Wi.; (763) 544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

BC Wood – Sept. 6-8, global buyers mission, Whistler ConferenceCenter, Whistler, B.C.; (877) 422-9663; www.bcwood.com.

Western Red Cedar Lumber Association – Sept. 6-8, annualmeeting, Whistler, B.C.; (604) 684-0266; www.wrcla.org.

HDW Inc. – Sept. 7-9, dealer market, Shreveport ConventionCenter, Shreveport, La.; (800) 256-8527; www.hdwinc.com.

New Hampshire Retail Lumber Assn. – Sept 7-9, annual meetingwith Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine, SheratonHarborside, Portsmouth, N.H.; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. – Sept. 10-13, woodbasics course, Corvallis, Or.; (800) 527-8258; www.nawla.org.

National Hardwood Lumber Assn. – Sept. 12-15, annual conven-tion, Sheraton, Chicago, Il.; (800) 933-0318; www.nhla.org.

Long Island Lumber Dealers Assn. – Sept. 13, annual meeting,Villa Lombardi’s, Holbrook, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; nrla.org.

Construction Suppliers Assn. – Sept. 13-14, annual meeting, Hil-ton Garden Inn, Peachtree City, Ga.; (678) 674-1860; gocsa.com.

Florida Building Material Association – Sept. 13-15, golf tourna-ment, meeting & expo, Gaylord Palms Hotel, Kissimmee, Fl.;(352) 383-0366; www.fbma.org.

True Value Co. – Sept. 18-23, fall market, Salt Palace ConventionCenter, Salt Lake City, Ut.; www.truevaluecompany.com.

Building Component Manufacturers Conference – Sept. 19-21,Denver, Co.; (608) 310-6722; www.bcmcshow.com.

Northeastern Young Lumber Execs – Sept. 19-21, Maine lumbertour; (518) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association – Sept. 20-21,board meeting & golf outing, York Harbor Inn, York, Me.; (207)829-6901; www.nelma.org.

Blish-Mize Co. – Sept. 21-22, fall market, Overland Park Conven-tion Center, Overland Park, Ks.; (800) 995-0525; blishmize.com.

Northwestern Lumber Assn. – Sept. 26, shooting event, Oak CreekSporting Club, Brainard, Ne.; Sept. 27, golf, Lake PanoramaNational Golf Course, Panora, Ia.; (763) 544-6822; nlassn.org.

An Unfair Fight, How Winners Selland Sellers Win is a must for salespeople,sales managers and company owners whowant to grow their sales in hypercompetitivemarkets.

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ADVERTISERS IndexFor more information on advertisers, call them

directly or visit their websites [in brackets].“Help a family inneed beat the heat” was themotto of a recent fan pro-motion at WestlakeHardware’s two stores inHutchison, Ks. To get things going,

Westlake offered a 15% dis-count on all fans and encour-aged customers to buy one ormore for the local SalvationArmy chapter. The charityusually buys 40 to 50 box fansat Westlake Hardware, but needed more this yearbecause of the poor economy.“We’re all guilty of saying, ‘I’ll help’ and then sit-

ting at home,” says assistant store manager SteveBarnum, who thought that community members wouldlike to help. To get the word out, Barnum used radio ads, in-

store flyers, word of mouth, and his wife’s Facebookpage. An article about the sale, published in the localnewspaper, brought quite a few customers—somenew—into the store. Although customers could also buy discounted fans

for their own use, most purchased fans for theSalvation Army. “The heat hit us early this year, somost people already had their own fans,” saysBarnum. “I was pleased with the response: about 140fans were purchased for donation, including 60 thatwere paid for by a local company.”At the end of the one-week sale, Barnum delivered

the donated fans to delighted officials at SalvationArmy—which has suffered a serious decline in dona-tions, but a big increase in need. And what about next year? “We’ll definitely run

the promotion again,” he says. “It may go company-wide, too—Westlake has 89 stores—because our cor-porate headquarters is now interested.”

IDEA FileSending Out the Fans

LLaatteesstt BBrreeaakkiinnggIInndduussttrryy NNeewwssfor Dealers, Wholesalers &

Manufacturers—Updated Daily

Check outthe redesigned

bbuuiillddiinngg--pprroodduuccttss..ccoomm

Advantage Trim & Lumber [www.advantagelumber.com]..........32

AERT [www.aertinc.com]......................................................Cover II

Ainsworth [www.ainsworth.ca] ................................................26-27

Anthony Forest Products [www.anthonyforest.com] .................32

BC Shake & Shingle Association [bcshakeshingle.com] ...........17

Biewer Lumber [www.biewerselect.com].......................................3

Boise Cascade [www.bcewp.com] .....................................Cover III

BW Creative Wood [www.bwcreativewood.com] ........................28

Cedar Creek Wholesale Inc. [www.cedarcreek.com] ..............9, 43

Crawford Creek Lumber [www.crawfordcreeklumber.com].......33

Crumpler Plastic Pipe [www.cpp-pipe.com] ................................41

Distribution Management Systems Inc. [www.dmsi.com]..........29

Dricon FRTW [www.dricon.com] ..........................................Cover I

Enduris [www.enduris.com] ............................................................7

EraWood [www.wolmanizedwood.com/erawood]...............Cover I

JEC Composites Americas [www.jeccomposites.com]..............25

Leonard Lumber [www.leonardlumber.com] ...............................11

Overseas Hardwood Co. [www.ohc.net] ........................................5

Pacific MDF Products Inc. [www.pactrim.com] ..........................35

Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance [plmins.com] .....23

Reality Sales Training [www.realitysalestraining.com] ..............45

Screw Products [www.screw-products.com] ..............................41

Siskiyou Forest Products [siskiyouforestproducts.com]...........31

Smith Millwork [www.smithmillwork.com]...................................37

Southern Shutter Co. [www.southernshutter.com].....................44

Sunbelt [www.sunbeltracks.com] ...................................................4

Swanson Group Sales Co. [www.swansongroupinc.com].........21

TLC Mouldings [www.tlcmouldings.com]..........................Cover IV

Wolmanized Wood [www.wolmanizedwood.com]...............Cover I

BC CONNECT™ is the new integrated 1-stop online portal with everything you need to manage your EWP business in one place and

instant access to your entire design and business management platform. Your team and profi t centers

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cloud-based applications, for an integrated system to manage a more robust, more profi table engineered wood business.

BC CONNECT™ is packed with new features such as a cut optimization module for less waste and lower job pack cost; an inventory module with money-saving perpetual inventory management; a project management module to manage design cost-effectively, and more. BC CONNECT™ can give you a competitive advantage over dealers that don’t have the software to optimize design, manage inventory tightly or streamline staffi ng.

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© 2012 Boise Cascade Wood Products, L.L.C. BOISE CASCADE, the TREE-IN-A-CIRCLE symbol, BC CONNECT and “Great products are only the beginning” are trademarks of Boise Cascade, L.L.C. or its affi liates.

Great products are only the beginning.

instant access to your entire design and business management platform. Your team and profi t centers

connect to business tools and

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